Former St. Mary's College midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron is now with Superliga Argentina club, Club Atlético Banfield. He plays on their Reserve Team. The club's head coach is former Argentinian marksman, Hernán Crespo.

St Mary’s College got their first victory of the 2018 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season today as they defeated rivals Fatima College 4-2 at Mucurapo Road to move off the bottom of the Premier Division standings.

Coming into this afternoon’s encounter, both schools were situated at the foot of the table with a point apiece after four matches. But a double from attacker Devon Charles and a sterling midfield display from playmaker Michel Poon-Angeron helped the Frederick Street “Saints” to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.

“Well we needed to get the first one in the bag after we let ourselves down against Valencia Secondary on Wednesday,” said St Mary’s coach Ryan Shim. “We were table-proppers after Wednesday and that’s not a comfortable position to be in. We went back to the drawing board and did some soul searching and spoke to the boys. We tweaked a few things and we were able to come out with the victory today.”

The news was more sobering for their hosts, Fatima, who were handed their fourth straight defeat of the young Premier Division season. And for the boys in blue and yellow, the soul searching continues.

“The better team on the day definitely won,” Fatima coach Wayne Sheppard told Wired868. “That game wasn’t about tactics. That game was about desire and pride and we came up short again.

“There has to be a conversation to find out what it is that is stopping you from doing the task that your position requires of you.”

Meanwhile, in Westmoorings, defending champions Presentation College (San Fernando) had no doubts about their position, as they maintained their two-point lead atop the standings with a 1-0 win over East Mucurapo Secondary—their fifth straight victory for the season.

Bulldozing midfielder Ackeel “Hulk” Jacob was the man on target for the “Pres Lions”, who are now the only top flight team still with a 100% record, after San Juan North Secondary were held 1-1 by Trinity College (Moka) in Maraval. The tie snapped San Juan’s run of three successive wins.

San Juan and Trinity (Moka) have 10 points each and occupy third and fourth place respectively at present. Naparima College remain second after defeating St Augustine Secondary 3-1, which was the second straight loss for the “Green Machine.”

At Mucurapo Road, survival was the name of the game, though. Prior to the clash of northern strugglers, Sheppard and Shim spoke to the significance of the occasion and the importance of a positive showing by their respective teams.

The atmosphere at the Fatima College grounds reflected this, as hundreds gathered to will on the two bickering sibling schools. And opposing fans even squared off briefly during the match, after some chanting went a bit too far.

On the field, St Mary’s brought the tempo early on, with Poon-Angeron and captain Gabriel Nanton pulling the strings in midfield. Meantime, Charles and fellow attacker Tyrese Spicer were bustling down the wings.

And in the 18th minute, Charles tapped in from close range after Fatima goalkeeper Jacob Camacho parried a low Spicer effort.

Fatima promptly responded through former National Under-15 attacker Jean-Heim McFee two minutes later; but the visitors had the advantage at the interval, after Poon-Angeron blasted into an empty net in first half stoppage time.

Poon-Angeron epitomised the grit and pride which Sheppard found lacking within his own ranks. Apart from being smooth and calculated in possession—effortlessly spreading passes out to either wing—the St Mary’s playmaker did the dirty work in the middle of the park as well.

And, when a right side Charles cross was deflected on to the bar, Poon-Angeron burst his lung to reach the loose ball and thump it past a hapless Camacho.

“The second St Mary’s goal sums up the game for me,” Sheppard said. “The St Mary’s player was willing to go into a tackle, the Fatima player wasn’t. And from that they transitioned and scored… They didn’t want to lose.”

Although St Mary’s had a deserved lead at the half, Sheppard was certain that his Fatima team could turn it around in the second period.

“Every time we stuck to the plan offensively and passed the ball we were able to open up St Mary’s in the first half,” Sheppard said. “At halftime, I was pretty confident that we would come out and start to play our game.”

But inside the first ten minutes of the second half, the game was well and truly over. St Mary’s looked dangerous on the counter all afternoon, and Charles could have had himself a first half hat-trick with better finishing. The bustling attacker made amends in the second half though.

First, he converted a 49th minute penalty after Fatima defender Elisha Taylor handled in the area. Four minutes later, Charles turned provider as he teed up fellow attacker Kyle Carrington for a neat, first-time volley from roughly ten yards out.

Fatima did not appear to know what had hit them. Shim, on the other hand, was pleased to get the monkey off his back.

“Today was very important for us to bounce back and we did it in fine style,” said Shim, who credited his midfield trio of Nanton, Poon-Angeron and Justin Keith. “We sort of reverted to what we did last year. Those were the three players we had in the midfield [when we won the 2017 North Intercol title] and again it seemed to work for us today. Most likely that’ll be the template for us moving forward.”

Sheppard only set his team game by game targets for the 2018 season. And getting three points is a must once more, when they face East Mucurapo at the same venue on Wednesday.

“I believe we are playing our next three games are at home,” Sheppard said. “We need to get at least seven points from those three games.”

After battling Mucurapo, who are languishing in 12th position with two points, Fatima will next host eastern outfits San Juan North and St Augustine.

Next up for St Mary’s is the little matter of the “Saints” derby. St Mary’s did the double over St Anthony’s College last year and Shim will want his team to pick up where they left off.

“That’s our North Zone rival [and] they are on a roll and doing well,” Shim said. “We have to come out there and play at our best to come away from the Tigers’ den with anything.”

Today, St Mary’s leapt to tenth spot after their triumph on Mucurapo Road. Sheppard presumably came away with a migraine, which even a sweet, low drive by McFee—easily Fatima’s best player on the day—could not cure, as the hosts got a second half consolation item.

“I cannot be in the fifth game of the season and telling [players] what [their] job is—that impacts on my coaching,” said Sheppard. “At the end of the day, it’s an institution you’re representing and we must put out our best effort every time we go out on the field. And I thought today we didn’t do that today.”

Very impressive. this is what I’d like to see more of, young men and woman speaking another language especially Spanish. it’s also a pleasant sight to behold players who come from and represent a wide range of trinidadians and not just guys from the black urban community but Chinese, white, French creole and asian, the whole gamut.

It bothers me to no end that we’re just a few miles from south america and our closest neighbor yet we can’t speak a lick of Spanish, how ridiculous is that? we in trinidad especially should be bilingual and spitting Spanish like nobody’s business. this should be on the list of programs destined for vision 2030.

Very impressive. this is what I’d like to see more of, young men and woman speaking another language especially Spanish. it’s also a pleasant sight to behold players who come from and represent a wide range of trinidadians and not just guys from the black urban community but Chinese, white, French creole and asian, the whole gamut.

It bothers me to no end that we’re just a few miles from south america and our closest neighbor yet we can’t speak a lick of Spanish, how ridiculous is that? we in trinidad especially should be bilingual and spitting Spanish like nobody’s business. this should be on the list of programs destined for vision 2030.

Selah. Amen.

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"It is not possible to make successful policy in a state of ignorance or indifference to what goes on in the real world." --- Martin Daly.

pull stones,I hope Trinis will eventually speak Spanish,as you say we are literally part of the continent and our people can't speak the language,how bloody sad.I left TT long ago and I had loved Spanish at school and passed the subject.I remember how it was helpful at Discos and different times,you do feel good.I am now learning French because my brother is married to a french girl.

pull stones,I hope Trinis will eventually speak Spanish,as you say we are literally part of the continent and our people can't speak the language,how bloody sad.I left TT long ago and I had loved Spanish at school and passed the subject.I remember how it was helpful at Discos and different times,you do feel good.I am now learning French because my brother is married to a french girl.

I agree with you. In my times in HS(60s-70s), Spanish was compulsory. Sometime after that, I don't know what happened. TT, like most Anglophone countries suffer from the diseases of "English is the world 's leading language, so you don't have to know another one". I think they should make it compulsory again.

pull stones,I hope Trinis will eventually speak Spanish,as you say we are literally part of the continent and our people can't speak the language,how bloody sad.I left TT long ago and I had loved Spanish at school and passed the subject.I remember how it was helpful at Discos and different times,you do feel good.I am now learning French because my brother is married to a french girl.

I agree with you. In my times in HS(60s-70s), Spanish was compulsory. Sometime after that, I don't know what happened. TT, like most Anglophone countries suffer from the diseases of "English is the world 's leading language, so you don't have to know another one". I think they should make it compulsory again.

I mentioned this many years ago and most men on this board laughed at my suggestion, goes to show how narrow minded most are about making themselves marketable as a player

Very impressive. this is what I’d like to see more of, young men and woman speaking another language especially Spanish. it’s also a pleasant sight to behold players who come from and represent a wide range of trinidadians and not just guys from the black urban community but Chinese, white, French creole and asian, the whole gamut.

It bothers me to no end that we’re just a few miles from south america and our closest neighbor yet we can’t speak a lick of Spanish, how ridiculous is that? we in trinidad especially should be bilingual and spitting Spanish like nobody’s business. this should be on the list of programs destined for vision 2030.

And it would enhance our football.

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"It is not possible to make successful policy in a state of ignorance or indifference to what goes on in the real world." --- Martin Daly.

He is still MIA on the club's website aside from the opening match of the season with the Reserva.

Well, seems like he work his way up from youth team to reserves. So he MIA in de right direction, I guess.

In terms of ARG, what he has done is not abnormal. Happens every year that there are a couple+ players playing in more than one age band from weekend to weekend or training in more than one category depending on need.

The club just don't have him on the rosters of any of the teams on the site. It's been like that for weeks. From the match summaries it is hard for me to assess how much he is playing although exposed to three teams ... because they focus mostly on players who have scored or the key ball generators or on players who were subbed in.

Its going to be hard for a player who was playing SSFL to make in the Argentinian league maybe a team in the lower division might give him a chance.

why can’t you be happy for the lad and wish him well, do you even listen to yourself? you’re always trying to dump on our football and put a damper on things. Dwight York ,russell latapy and Clint marcelle came from the school league and in dwight’s case he came straight from the school league to Aston villa and so did levi garcia who went from the SSFL to the eridivise. why do you grudge our football so much, are you sure you’re from trinidad and tobago?

Its going to be hard for a player who was playing SSFL to make in the Argentinian league maybe a team in the lower division might give him a chance.

Well, that's the challenge, isn't it? He's in school to be a pro. That's the challenge facing him and facing all the players in that environment. It doesn't matter where they came from; they have all been deemed qualified to be in that mix. To Michel I say keep battling, keep learning and stay positive.

I can tell you that other players (unknown to most of them) have been in consideration for that environment prior to Poon, although not at Banfield specifically and that will continue to be the case.

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"It is not possible to make successful policy in a state of ignorance or indifference to what goes on in the real world." --- Martin Daly.

There is nothing wrong with trying but 1 must be realistic the game has change the days for players from SSFL getting a pro contract is gone since the 90's more country's around the world is starting professional leagues thus starting football academy's for young kids this has made the SSFL obsolete while these kids have been preparing to be a professional footballer for several years kids in TT have been playing gallery football in the SSFL that's why players like Levi Garcia couldn't cut in Holland.

There is nothing wrong with trying but 1 must be realistic the game has change the days for players from SSFL getting a pro contract is gone since the 90's more country's around the world is starting professional leagues thus starting football academy's for young kids this has made the SSFL obsolete while these kids have been preparing to be a professional footballer for several years kids in TT have been playing gallery football in the SSFL that's why players like Levi Garcia couldn't cut in Holland.

YOu have an inferiority complex lol

Like really, you know nothing about football but make these broad sweeping statements that you believe is gospel

There is nothing wrong with trying but 1 must be realistic the game has change the days for players from SSFL getting a pro contract is gone since the 90's more country's around the world is starting professional leagues thus starting football academy's for young kids this has made the SSFL obsolete while these kids have been preparing to be a professional footballer for several years kids in TT have been playing gallery football in the SSFL that's why players like Levi Garcia couldn't cut in Holland.

YOu have an inferiority complex lol

Like really, you know nothing about football but make these broad sweeping statements that you believe is gospel

But he is not wrong doh agree with ff on plenty tings but SSFL is pretty bad measure of talent in this country, we need to come to terms with that accept it and change it

There is nothing wrong with trying but 1 must be realistic the game has change the days for players from SSFL getting a pro contract is gone since the 90's more country's around the world is starting professional leagues thus starting football academy's for young kids this has made the SSFL obsolete while these kids have been preparing to be a professional footballer for several years kids in TT have been playing gallery football in the SSFL that's why players like Levi Garcia couldn't cut in Holland.

YOu have an inferiority complex lol

Like really, you know nothing about football but make these broad sweeping statements that you believe is gospel

But he is not wrong doh agree with ff on plenty tings but SSFL is pretty bad measure of talent in this country, we need to come to terms with that accept it and change it

Before you all go down that road, join maxg in acknowledging the player's showing and progress nah. In fact for 2020 I would encourage more posters to post their approval and their support rather than registering that approval and support silently. Solidarity goes a long way when it travels to the players.

My general observation over the years is that there is a lack of delivering congratulations when congrats are due. Lehwe ride hard in both directions: congratulating and condemning.

I'm just trying to figure out why iz de CIC men that leading the way.

« Last Edit: February 16, 2020, 09:24:49 AM by asylumseeker »

Logged

"It is not possible to make successful policy in a state of ignorance or indifference to what goes on in the real world." --- Martin Daly.

There is nothing wrong with trying but 1 must be realistic the game has change the days for players from SSFL getting a pro contract is gone since the 90's more country's around the world is starting professional leagues thus starting football academy's for young kids this has made the SSFL obsolete while these kids have been preparing to be a professional footballer for several years kids in TT have been playing gallery football in the SSFL that's why players like Levi Garcia couldn't cut in Holland.

YOu have an inferiority complex lol

Like really, you know nothing about football but make these broad sweeping statements that you believe is gospel

But he is not wrong doh agree with ff on plenty tings but SSFL is pretty bad measure of talent in this country, we need to come to terms with that accept it and change it

Before you all go down that road, join maxg in acknowledging the player's showing and progress nah. In fact for 2020 I would encourage more posters to post their approval and their support rather than registering that approval and support silently. Solidarity goes a long way when it travels to the players.

My general observation over the years is that there is a lack of delivering congratulations when congrats are due. Lehwe ride hard in both directions: congratulating and condemning.

I'm just trying to figure out why iz de CIC men that leading the way.

nah nah I not condemning, glad d player doing well, ah does just cyah resist pushing back on the over estimation of SSFL and the false positives that it often produces for us.....I jus want realism when estimating d football, maybe dais ah big ask given d poster but yeah...........

I jus want us to be where players leave these shores and not be shocked dat yuh hadda think fast, run and sprint instead ah trot or in some cases walk and be indecisive without consequences.